Best headphone amp solution for testing pedals

[jrmy]

A while back, I went to a pedal event at Q Division Studios in MA and the guy from EAE had built little pheadphone amps so people could test pedals out right next to each other without overlapping noise. He said they were still working on optimizing the design, but I haven't seen anything on it since.

HOWEVER, OBNE has their little utility series, which is pretty cool: https://www.oldbloodnoise.com/pedals/headphone-amp

And then there's... what? I guess the Line6 Pocket Pod? The little Dano mini-amp? I have no idea how well those take pedals...

[Inconuucl]

Obne's handles dirt like shit. There's also the Neunaber Iconoclast, which I used with a preamp for the longest time as my main set up.

[sylnau]

Do you neen a preamp withthe Obne's ?
If so which one are you using?
How's the clean tone?

[jrmy]

Obne's handles dirt like shit. There's also the Neunaber Iconoclast, which I used with a preamp for the longest time as my main set up.

See, that's what I was worried about. I know that no options will sound like a "real amp," but it needs to be able to handle dirt well and react at least vaguely "realistically." Will check the Iconoclast out... guessing that it will be pricey tho... hmmmmm...

[Inconuucl]

I think you can find used for around 2 hundy. One thing with the iconoclast is that you have to set it up on the app to not sound super flat, which is easy since you can download settings from the Neunaber site.

[sylnau]

Which preamp are you using with it?

[ratrod]

Vox amPlugs are legit.

[ognoy]

Vox amPlugs are legit.

+1

[sylnau]

Vox amPlugs are legit.

Even with pedals?

[K2000]

Mooer makes one (the Audiofile) but I have no idea if it's good for the more demanding ILF type applications. It seemed good with a Pocket Piano.

[Jwar]

Vintage Ampeg Stack mic'd into an interface with headphones on. I mean, you are technically listening through headphones. I mean, it's not your fault everyone else can hear. :P

I'd look into something with at least a cab sim. Pedals through headphones usually just do not sound the same.

Darkglass makes one I believe and I think there's several others out there now too. You just need a simple DI with a headphone jack but I'd recommend a cab sim as well (or a pedal that has both).

[rfurtkamp]

For cheap and decent, dig up a Boss GT-1 or GT-001 used and program in a basic amp model or six of your choice. Plug pedals in, use good cans.

The sound engine in the GT-100/001 that it uses was the first to pass my amp Turing Test, where I honestly forgot I was playing in cans and reached over reflexively to the 4x12 to make sure the volume wasn't too high even though it was muted at 3 am.

[JonnyAngle]

Jwar is right. You’re going to need a low pass filter otherwise dirt will sound like shit.

When playing through headphones, I use an ehx headphone amp. Works great, small, and little $$$

[drolo]

Best amp I ever used for headphones is the Yamaha THR10 (the built-in speakers sound great at low levels too). There is also the smaller THR5. Plus you can use them as USB direct recording devices and they sound pretty killer. The different amp models seem to react to dirt pedals and boosters quite similarly to how the real ones would. Not pedal sized though, not sure if that was a must.

[rustywire]

The cost of admission is high but Effectrode Blackbird is top shelf option.
Paia Pygmy 1750 is a Pignose type battery combo that can be used with headphones, operates at 12v via 8 AAs (but can run off a 9v nice & dirty)
Boss also makes some compact mixers with headphone option but they aren't a best option for this purpose. Useful in lieu of nothing.